Why would you expect 50k concurrent?
Why knowing that GaaS games have a tendency to either flop or explode in popularity would you gradually scale capacity knowing full well if you're under capacity at every gradual jump you're not solving the issue at all? Merely alleviating a poor experience and simply and flat out guessing.
Why knowing full well your game is seeing a viral rush are you pinching pennies on capacity and doing conservative gradual jumps? "Because it will eventually settle"...."peak hrs".... what the fuck are you doing?
I'm sure there are very "intelligent" explanations for why things are the way they are. You wouldn't be dealing with humans if there wasn't an excuse and a good tale for any nonperformance or underpeformance. It's what humans do. But humans can also do better, and some, unfortunately few, do.
The first impression that Arrowhead is leaving with customers that PAY UP FRONT BTW is a experience that is bad. Time is money, not everyone is a hardcore lapdog willing to put up with any of this bullshit when there are many, many options out there where this money and time could go to - Apex, Fornite, Destiny or singleplayer games etc...etc. If you have playtime for only 2-3 hrs in a day, at specific time of day and you happen to be in a blackout period or simply unlucky to be outside the 360k (before that jump, much less) you're fucked - after paying like everyone else. Respect your customer, their time, and their willingness to go to you - that's all. Stop the bullshit excuses - there is always an excuse for anything.
What is the point of a "GaaS excellence" panel if not to have a blueprint for technical details like this and technical collaboration. To know exactly what to do in these situations, know exactly what the best providers to use are etc.. Best practices. Clearly not the case here... whatever they're doing this is far from excellence.
Sometimes I wonder If the folks commenting on this forum have worked for a business or understand how businesses are run. I can tell you one thing, businesses do not run on excuses and damage control. Not when you manage it and are responsible for the big decisions, and all the weight rests on your shoulders, specially the livelihood of others. Now if you're simply a cog in the wheel I can see why only caring for your job function is the only thing that matters but then, don't opine nonsense.
Pom Pom cheerleaders read: "Players are experiencing login issues, frustration and can't enjoy their paid in front for product"
Reaction: "OMG so many sales!" "Go Arrowhead!".
Only in gaming.